The present invention relates to exercising apparatus in general, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus which render it possible to carry out exercises in imitation of skiing, especially downhill and slalom runs.
An exercising apparatus which is to be used by a budding or experienced downhill or slalom skier should meet several requirements including enabling the user to carry out (more or less automatically) movements of the type expected from a downhill or slalom skier as well as to strengthen certain muscles which are active during running on snow. As a rule, the movements include (depending on the terrain and style of the skier) the following individual movements:
(1) A more or less pronounced up-and-down movement.
(2) Stressing of the outer ski in a curve with simultaneous lowering of the outer ski.
(3) Inclination of the skis (edge setting) so that their inner edges are in contact with the snow in a turn.
(4) Turning of feet with the toes facing inwardly in the turn.
(5) Longitudinal shifting of feet with the inner ski located ahead of the outer ski in a turn.
The majority of movements involve an up-and-down movement with a lowermost position during the making of a turn with the smallest radius. Alternatively, the skier can also lower his or her body while running straight downhill; this involves running with the upper part of the body relatively motionless but with a pronounced leg action, particularly an activity of muscles in the thighs. The turns are made with pronounced straightening of the knee joints.
An exercising apparatus which is to be used by downhill and/or slalom skiers should be capable of enabling the user to perform the above-enumerated movements as well as to oppose such movements with a requisite force which must be overcome by the user who thereby builds his or her muscles and becomes aware of the conditions under which stressing of certain muscles or groups of muscles takes place.
Heretofore known exercising apparatus are constructed and assembled to facilitate certain types of exercises as well as to enable the user to improve his or her balance and to strengthen certain muscles which are active during skiing. For example, German Offenleguntsschrift No. 19 26 816 discloses an exercising apparatus with pedals which can be caused to move up and down under the action or against the opposition of springs tending to maintain the pedals in a neutral position. In addition, the apparatus of this German printed publication allows for independent movements of pedals against the opposition of resilient means. Nevertheless, the versatility of the apparatus is rather limited because the user cannot move his or her feet forwardly, because the apparatus does not embody any means which would permit each foot to turn about a vertical axis, because the apparatus does not permit the boots to move to positions corresponding to edge setting of the skis, and because the apparatus does not provide any simulated relief for the heels in the raised stage.
German Utility Model No. 82 02 544 discloses a pivotable lever whose free end portion carries a platform for ski boots and is pivotable from a neutral position against the opposition of a strong spring. The inclination of the pivot axis for the lever is adjustable within certain limits and the lever can be pivoted about such axis to both sides of the neutral position. Any such pivoting of the lever involves a very pronounced twisting of feet from the positions they would occupy during a straight downhill run. Moreover, the apparatus of this Utility Model does not permit any forward shifting of the boots and/or edge setting and/or up-and-down movements of the boots. The apparatus merely enables the user to practice a single movement (namely, lowering of the body to thereby reduce the pressure upon the skis) but the apparatus does not allow for any appreciable strengthening of muscles in the thighs of the user.
A modification of the just discussed prior exercising apparatus is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 18 06 893. The modified apparatus allows for independent longitudinal movements of two tiltable boot-supporting platforms against the opposition of springs. However, such apparatus does not permit any up-and-down movements of the platform independently of each other and/or any turning of the platforms about vertical axes.
A rather complex and expensive exercising apparatus is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 23 58 117. This apparatus allows for lateral movements of platforms for the boots in parallelism with one another in response to appropriate movements of the user's body. The last stages of lateral movements are damped by springs. The platforms are mounted on substantially universal joints which render the mounting of such platforms highly unstable. Moreover, the resistance of platforms to various movements of the legs and feet is minimal so that the apparatus is incapable of building muscles and/or automatically generating forces which must be overcome by a skier in the course of an actual run down a slope. The apparatus of this German printed publication is intended for use by highly skilled skiers but is not suitable for beginners or weekend skiers.
A further exercising apparatus is disclosed in German Pat. No. 22 24 798. This apparatus does not permit for up-and-down movements of the boots and/or for edge setting of the platforms so that its ability to prepare a skier for downhill or slalom skiing is limited, both as regards the practice of required movements as well as concerning the strengthening of some or all of the muscles which are used by the skier in the course of a downhill or slalom run.
An apparatus which also belongs to the category of the aforediscussed exercising apparatus is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 25 15 570. The apparatus of this prior publication allows for independent forward movements of the platforms for ski boots as well as for simultaneous movements of both platforms about a common substantially vertical pivot axis which is located in front of and is remote from the platforms. A certain amount of tilting movement of the platforms is also possible. However, neither platform is movable up or down against a pronounced restoring force. In fact, none of the afore-enumerated movements are carried out against the resistance of springs so that the apparatus is incapable of performing any noticeable muscle building action. In addition, and in view of the absence of any means for opposing various movements of the platforms, the apparatus of this German printed publication does not enable the user to acquire the ability to carry out a number of different movements, always from a given neutral position and back to such neutral position. On the contrary, the user must memorize the neutral positions which is not conducive to an exercise that more or less compels the user of the exercising apparatus to acquire the ability to automatically move the boots to neutral positions as shown as the need for edge setting of skis, turning of heels in the bindings, forward or rearward movements of the boots, upward and downward movements of the boots and/or any combination of such movements is terminated.
Still another prior art apparatus for use by skiers or prospective skiers is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 15 78 640. The apparatus of this printed publication employs a wheel-mounted conveyance which is designed for travel along a pair of slightly convex rails and has platforms for the boots of the user. There is no provision for springs or other resilient means which could return the conveyance to a neutral position with a pronounced force. Basically, the apparatus of this German printed publication enables the user to perform a small number of movements without any muscle building or other conditioning of the body. The conveyance allows for slight longitudinal movements of the platforms and the platforms are also free to tilt to a certain extent against the opposition of springs. However, the platforms cannot turn about vertical axes and they do not permit the legs to perform the very important up-and-down movements with attendant muscle building action.
It will be seen that the apparatus which are presently used, or proposed to be used, as exercising machines by downhill or slalom skiers are incapable of furnishing a full range of possibilities to develop all muscles which are used in the course of such activities as well as to enable the user to practice each and every movement which must be performed with and/or relative to the skis on a snow-covered slope.